Editor’s Note: In May 2013, Boston underwent a music revolution. Award-winning digital arts magazine Vanyaland and game-changing major-league music festival Boston Calling launched within 10 short days of each other, completely altering and elevating the landscape where music and culture intersect in a city that had previously gone relatively stale. In the near-decade since, the two entities have been a defining feature of our city, both for its residents and how it’s perceived everywhere else. In Spring 2022, Vanyaland and Boston Calling team up to showcase the homegrown bands and artists that help shape the most Boston lineup of Boston Calling ever. Boston Calling’s ’22 headliners — Metallica, Nine Inch Nails, The Strokes — and its solid undercard are well-known and established; but over the next few weeks, keep it locked as Vanyaland profiles the homegrown talent that decorates the lineup like never before. Nine years later, Vanyaland and Boston Calling continue to showcase Boston in new ways, and we have the sounds to prove it.
Cliff Notez
Performing Sunday, May 29
What can fans expect from your set at Boston Calling?
“I’m grateful. I’m grateful to be a part of something as special as Boston Calling and considering the history that it has in the city, but considering all of that for folks who do know my history and what I’ve done as a community organizer and how I as an independent artist fought tooth to nail with the big wigs to get myself on a stage I know I deserve. It’s a statement to be here as a whole so I think that it’s a win and it’s also [an] opportunity for us to continue to push our larger agenda.” — Cliff Notez
Artist bio:
Award-winning multi-digital media artist, musician, organizer & filmmaker, Cliff Notez’ art is a continuous exploration of the Black mind. Rooted in hip-hop, their art tackles the political and the personal, exploring the intimate consequences of a society where black bodies are easily ignored, forgotten, or disregarded. Cliff was named “New Artist of the Year” at the 2018 Boston Music Awards and has since gone on to rack up an incredible 11 award nominations, including in the coveted “Artist of the Year” and “Live Artist of the Year” categories. In 2019, Cliff became the first musician to be named “Musician of the Year” for Boston Magazine’s Best of Boston and in 2020, was named in their “Top 100 Most Influential Bostonians” list. In addition to music, their films have been official selections for 20-plus film festivals globally, winning five awards along the way including the 2017 Grand Prize Winner of the March on Washington Festival and honored alongside Ta-Nehisi Coates.
What we’ve said: Cliff Notez on Vanyaland:
Follow @cliffnotezz on Instagram:
Listen to Cliff Notez on Spotify:
Watch Cliff Notez on YouTube:
